JREF Swift Blog

As reported in this Swift, there are rare occasions where so-called psychics who bilk people out of money are brought to justice. This is an update on one of them.

In this San Francisco Chonicle article, we learn that Janet Adams pled "no contest" in court to the charges that she bilked a family out of more than $80,000 by claiming that they needed to pay her exhorbitant amounts of money for special prayers to save the husband from certain death. She is being held on $500,000 bail.

While the news of her plea might not seem like it's much news, it's important to keep an eye on cases like this as they are rare, and can be used as precedent for more cases in the future. We will continue to report on the case as it happens.

I do wonder why a psychic would plea "no contest." If she can see the future, she should be able to see a verdict of "guilty" or "not guilty." If she sees a verdict of guilty, I can see why should would plead "no contest" even though it has the same result. But if she reacted that way, wouldn't she see "no contest" in the future? I think I'll not spend any more time on this paradox, and continue to watch the case with interest. The good news is she's going to be sentenced, and hopefully it will be a sizable one.